Big Bone Lick

Before the European settlers in America pushed westward, tens of millions of bison roamed the American landscape.  Their range spanned almost the entire United States, with the heaviest concentration in the Great Plains.  Bison congregated in massive herds.  Native Americans hunted the bison on a limited scale for food, clothing and materials.

But in the 1700s, the arrival of white men with .50-caliber rifles and riding on horses started the bison’s demise in North America.  The combination of efficient hunting methods and a growing demand for buffalo hides resulted in the “Great Slaughter” from 1820 to 1880.  The bison population dropped from 30 million to just over a thousand by 1890.

With bison extinction imminent, Theodore Roosevelt and William Hornaday formed the American Bison Society in 1905 to ensure the species’ survival.  The Bronx Zoo and Yellowstone National Park established bison preserves, and the federal government created the National Bison Range in Montana.

Ironically, commercial breeding had a greater impact boosting bison numbers than conservation, and today more than 95 percent of bison are privately owned.  In the 1970s, ranchers started breeding bison for the niche meat market.  Thanks to growing demand, there are around 400,000 commercial bison living in the United States.

Read the entire article at HowStuffWorks

T. David had a chance to visit Big Bone Lick State Park and was pleasantly surprised to discover a herd of bison.  The bison are part of an effort to ensure their continued existence in the United States.  These magnificent beasts once ruled the prairie, but indiscriminate hunting reduced their numbers to less than 1000.  Through conservation efforts and "captive" herds, such as the one at Big Bone Lick State Park, bison are no longer an endangered species.

For more great bison photos, check out T. David’s collection of photos of “The Bison Bunch.”

This map from the Library of Congress shows two flourishing Shawnee villages in 1665.  The beast you see on the left side of this map could indicate the relative location of Big Bone Lick, as many mastodon bones have been found there.  But early Lexington history indicates big bones were found there as well.

From The Rural Democrat

There’s a good reason the bison are kept in a gated area at Big Bone Lick State Park…

For the second time this year, a bison attacked a tourist at Yellowstone National Park.  On Wednesday around 11:30am, a 55-year-old California man was taking pictures of a bull bison that had wandered into the Bridge Bay Campgrounds.  The two were about 10 feet apart when the bison charged.

The man sustained a “puncture wound” to his upper thigh.  He was treated at Lake Clinic then transported to St. John’s Medical Center in Jackson, Wyoming.  His injuries are not life threatening.

Earlier this summer, a bison tossed a 50-year-old woman from Spain into the air.  She was talking on a pay phone at the time.

Bull bison can stand six feet tall, weigh up to 2,000 pounds, and run up to 30 miles an hour.  Bison can and will attack humans at any time, with or without provocation.  Bison are especially dangerous during the next few weeks because it’s their mating season. 

Yellowstone Park regulations require that visitors remain at least 25 yards away from most animals, and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves.  Tourists who violate this rule can face a citation and fine, or of course an animal attack.

Story at Local News 8

Sierra Club Northern Kentucky (NKY) is meeting on Saturday, July 18 to perform trail service at Big Bone Lick State Park on five miles of mostly wooded hilly trails, including two blazed by the NKY group.

This service outing will include routine trail repairs and upkeep, especially weed-whipping and bush and branch trimming.  The work crew will depart from the meeting location 15-20 minutes after the scheduled start.  So don’t come late unless you know where they will be working.

Be sure to wear weather-appropriate work clothing, shoes with good treads, and work gloves.  Bring your own liquids and trail snacks, as desired.  Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Rating: easy to moderate, suitable for beginners, sometimes including labor in cool, damp, hot or humid conditions.

For more information, contact John Robbins by email or phone at 859-363-0376.

From the book, Big Bone Lick: The Cradle of American Paleontology, by Stanley Hedeen:

In 1828, while zoologist William Cooper was collecting specimens at Big Bone Lick, Cincinnati physician Daniel Drake proudly wrote of the location’s widespread reputation: “This spot has acquired a notoriety that is not even limited to the United States.  Its name explains the nature of this distinction.  No place in America, perhaps none in the world, has afforded an equal number of large fossil bones.”

Jane’s Saddlebag and Kentucky Chautauqua will present the play “Daniel Boone: Pathfinder” at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at the outdoor amphitheater at Big Bone Lick State Park.  The play will show Boone as an intrepid explorer and natural leader whose exploits justify his larger-than-life reputation.

Scott New portrays Daniel Boone in the play.  New has had a lifelong interest in the Kentucky frontier and early American history. He is a character interpreter for Kentucky State Parks and has portrayed Daniel Boone in films and plays for more than 10 years.

Kentucky Chautauqua presents history dramas that have brought to life more than 50 famous figures from Kentucky’s past.

Story at KY Post

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…  Okay, this isn’t Star Wars, but have you ever wondered what the galaxies actually look like from Earth?  What about the distant stars you can’t see with the naked eye?

Here is your chance to see galaxies, stars, planets, and the Moon from right here on Earth.  Join our two special guests from Northern Kentucky University (NKU) as they set up telescopes so that you can view the wonders in the heavens above.  See for yourself the beauty and splendor as you search the stars.

Searching the Stars dates:
August 14 at 9:15 pm
August 28 at 9:00 pm

Meet at the Campground Store at Big Bone Lick State Park.

Join our special guest professors Dr. Wayne Bresser and Dr. Ray McNeil from Northern Kentucky University (NKU) as they show you the wonders of the sun.  If you have ever wondered what the sun really looks like close up, you can be one of the few people in the area to safely look through a telescope and see the sun in full view.  Both Ray and Wayne will be on hand to answer any questions you might have after viewing the sun through their special equipment.

Solar Observation dates:
August 22 at 10:00 am
Sept 5 at 10:00 am
Oct 31 at 10:00 am

Meet at the Nature Center at Big Bone Lick State Park.

Big Bone Lick State Park is one of the few places in the world where one can find the federally endangered plant, Running Buffalo Clover.  The clover appears to depend on woodland disturbance created by large animals, especially the bison.  Unfortunately, the loss of wild roaming bison, increase of invasive species and agricultural practices have pushed this plant to the verge of extinction. 

Running Buffalo Clover (Trifolium stoloniferum) is a perennial clover native to the eastern and midwestern United States.  This plant has upright, unbranched flowering stems, typically 4-20 inches tall.  The stem is topped by a round flower head, subtended by two leaves.  The flower heads are white, sometimes tinged with purple, and about an inch in diameter.  It flowers from mid-May to June and fruits in July.

You are invited to join the naturalist staff at Big Bone Lick State Park on Sunday, July 5 to help save this endangered species.  There will be a short presentation, followed by onsite habitat restoration for the Running Buffalo Clover.

Phone (859) 384-3522 or email todd.young@ky.gov for more information.